Shubhankar Sharma outflanks Anirban Lahiri as highest ranked Indian Golfer in the world

India’s Shubhankar Sharma has become a national Golf phenomenon and his stupendous performance at the Maybank Championship has once again brought him into the spotlight. His mind-boggling performance has been rewarded with a rise to his career-best position in the latest world Golf rankings released.

Prior to turning professional, Sharma was the number one junior golfer in his country

The performance of Sharma also bears testimony to the fact that Golf in India is rising and how!

Sharma, who stays in Chandigarh and has his roots in Jammu, has broken into the top-100 for the first time in his career and also emerged as the highest ranked Indian in the world outflanking PGA Tour regular Anirban Lahiri, who is currently placed 76th in the OWGR.

It has been an amazing journey for Sharma, who joins a successful line of golfers from India after claiming his second victory in two months on the Asian Tour and the European Tour at the co-sanctioned Maybank Championship on Sunday.

“Sharma closed with a brilliant 10-under-par 62 to seal the deal at the Saujana Golf and Country Club, taking home his career’s biggest prize purse yet of US$500,000 to move atop the Asian Tour’s Habitat for Humanity Standings and lead the Race to Dubai on the European Tour.

“The last two months have changed my life. I’ve always dreamt of winning and now I’m a two-time winner on the Asian Tour and European Tour,” said Sharma, who rose to a career-high 72nd place on the latest Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).

Sharma has broken into the top-100 for the first time in his career

The young Indian broke through in sensational style at the Joburg Open last December and earned for himself a coveted spot at The Open at Carnoustie this July where he will be making his Major debut.

“This win is great because it opens so many doors for me. I’m also playing in The Open so I’m excited about that. More and more players are coming out of Asia and India. You’ve had players like Arjun Atwal, Jyoti Randhawa and Anirban Lahiri. Just seeing them do well inspire us.

“Especially me winning now will inspire some kids so we need more idols to inspire more people and give them the confidence that they can do it as well. Asian golf is in the right hands. I am sure you will see more and more Asian players winning in Europe,” Sharma added.

Prior to turning professional, Sharma was the number one junior golfer in his country. He plied his trade on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) after missing the mark in his first attempt at the Asian Tour Qualifying School in 2014. He claimed his first top-five result on the Asian Tour on home soil that year.

Sharma enjoyed several starts on the region’s premier Tour through his country exemption category in 2015 before earning his Asian Tour card in what was his second attempt at the Qualifying School in 2016.

Sharma kept his card for the 2017 season after finishing 51st on the money list, thanks largely to an impressive top-five finish in the Philippines where he closed with a 62. His career has been on the upswing since, notching four top-10s in 2017 before winning in South Africa.